Automatic release clamp
AssigneeUnited Parcel Service of America, Inc.
InventorJulio Gil
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aspects herein are directed to a clamp having a linkage coupled to a first end of a first and second clamp member. Based on applying a first directional force to the linkage, the linkage generates a force that moves the second ends of the first and second clamp member towards one another, thereby biasing the clamp to the closed position. The clamp secures a strap when the clamp is in the closed position and releases the strap when the clamp is in an open position.
Claims17
A linkage system for moving a clamp from an open position to a closed position, the linkage system comprising:
- a first linkage member and a second linkage member, wherein:
- a first end of the first linkage member is pivotally coupled to a first end of a first clamp member of the clamp;
- a first end of the second linkage member is pivotally coupled to a first end of a second clamp member of the clamp;
- a second end of the first linkage member is pivotally coupled to a second end of the second linkage member;
- and
- upon a first directional force being applied to the linkage system, the linkage system is configured to generate a second directional force that biases the clamp from the open position to the closed position by moving a second end of the first clamp member towards a second end of the second clamp member to secure a strap at the second end of the first clamp member when the clamp is in the closed position.
A linkage system, the linkage system comprising:
- a first linkage, that when a directional force is applied to the first linkage, is configured to generate a first clamping force that moves a first clamp from an open position to a closed position;
- and
- a second linkage, that when the directional force is applied to the second linkage, is configured to generate a second clamping force that moves a second clamp from an open position to a closed position, wherein the first linkage is coupled to the second linkage so as to simultaneously move in response to the directional force, the first clamp secures a first strap while in the closed position, and the second clamp secures a second strap while in the closed position.
A method for transporting an item, the method comprising:
- securing a strap around the item using a clamp, the strap having a first end and a second end, the first end of the strap mounted to the clamp and the second end of the strap secured by the clamp when the clamp is in a closed position;
- and
- suspending the item to generate a clamping force that is proportional to a weight of the item, the clamping force biasing the clamp to the closed position, wherein the clamp comprises a first clamp member having a first end and a second end and a second clamp member having a first end and a second end, and suspending the item to generate the clamping force comprises suspending the item to apply a force vertically upwards to the first end of the first clamp member and the first end of the second clamp member to generate the clamping force to move the second end of the first clamp member towards the second end of the second clamp member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.